Works Start on the Second Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Ship

The steel cutting ceremony of the Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Ship (PPA) took place today at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Riva Trigoso (Genova), officially marking the beginning of construction works on the second unit.

The unit will be delivered in 2022 and it is part of the renewal plan of the surface operational lines of the Italian Navy vessels, approved by the Government and Parliament and started in May 2015. The steel cutting ceremony of the first PPA took place in February 2017.

Vessel’s characteristics: PPA – Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Ship

The multipurpose offshore patrol vessel is a highly flexible ship with the capacity to serve multiple functions, ranging from patrol with sea rescue capacity to support Civil Protection operations and, in its most highly equipped version, first line fighting vessel. There will be indeed different configurations of combat system: starting from a “soft” version for the patrol task, integrated for basic self-defence ability, to a “full” one, equipped in response to three-dimensional threats (air and surface). The vessel is also capable of operating high-speed vessels such as RHIB (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat) up to 11 meters long through lateral cranes or a hauling ramp located at the far stern.

Main technical features here below:

132.5 meters long;

speed more than 31 knots according to vessel configuration and operational conditions;

a combined diesel, electric and a gas turbine plant;

2 modular zones at the stern and at the center of the ship that allow the embarking of various types of containerized operating/logistic/residential/healthcare modules.

The PPAs are built at the Integrated Shipyard of Riva Trigoso and Muggiano, with delivery expected, for the first vessel of the class, in 2021, while the following deliveries will take place in 2022, 2023, 2024 (two units), 2025 and 2026.